Feeler mechanism for looms



M. L. STONE.

FEELER MECHANsSM FOR Looms.

APPLlCATlON FILED JAN` 30,1920.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921..

n E n m narran s'mresV `PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN L. STONE, 0F LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO .'DRAYER CORPORA- TION, OF IIOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER MECHAN ISM FOR LOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb.v 22, 1921.

Application filed January 30, 1920. Serial No. 355,065.

To all whom it may concer/n,

Be it known that I, MELvIN L. STONE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident oi' Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State orn Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

T his invention relates to feeler mecha nisms for looms whereby the filling in the shuttle is replenished before complete eX- haustion. p

Various forms or feeler mechanisms have heretofore been suggested, and among these are those known as mechanical feelers and those known as magnetic or electric feelers. The present invention has more special reference to Jfeelers or" the latter type and has for its object the production of a eeler mechanism which shall be sensitive to the presence or absence of filling in the shuttle and, upon substantial exhaustion of the illing, will set in action a train of mechanism to effect replenishment of filling.

In the present invention the magnetic feeler is mounted upon a feeler carrier for movement therewith toward and from the front of the loom and also for movement relative thereto in a rearwardly direction under the attractive force of a metal member carried by the lay as it retreats after a detecting beat. The magnetic feeler and the ieeler carrier are held in normally associated relation under the action of a suitable yielding means, such as a spring, but with permissive movement for the magnetic ieeler to slide rearwardly on the feeler carrier when the latter has returned to its rearward position as the lay goes back aftera detecting beat. Associated with the :teeler carrier is an actuator which is held in a normally inoperative position by the magnetic feeler so long as the eeler and the ieeler carrier on which it is mounted remain in normal position, but when the magnetic ieeler is moved relatively to the feeler carrier, and their position is thereby changed or rendered abnormal, the actuator sets in operation a train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling.

In the accompanying drawings, which show one good practical `form of the invention:

Figure 'l is a plan view of the feeler side o fa loom equipped with the present invention, some of the parts being omitted for clearness oi' illustration;

Fig. 2 is. a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l showing the action of the feeler mechanism when the filling has been substantially `exhausted on a detecting beat and the lay 'moves backwardly;

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective detail showing more particularly the relation of the actuator, the magnetic feeler, and the feeler carrier or slide;

Fig..4 is a plan view partly in section showing details of construction.

The loom frame 1 has mounted thereon the transverse or rock shaft 2, Fig. 1, from which rises the arm 3 having pivotally connected thereto the latch or arm 4, the rear -end portion of which is adapted to be engaged by anoperating member 5 and pushed rontwardly to rock the rock shaft 2 when filling is to be replenished. The operating member 5 may be any suitable moving part of the loom, and as usual in this type of looms it has an arm connected to the cam frame or a bracket 'connected therewith, is the eeler stand 10 which, in the present instance, constitutes the support for the feeler carrier. The Jreeler carrier 11 is formed as a plate at its rear end portion and extends frontwardly into the feeler stand 10 where it is surrounded by a spring 12 interposed between the front end portion 13 of the feeler stand and a shoulder 14 on the feeler carrier, the construction being such that the ieeler carroo rier will be normally maintained in its rearward position but with permissive movement frontwardly.

Mounted for sliding movement on the feeler carrier 11 is the magnetic feeler 15. In the present instance of the invention the magnetic feeler 15 is mounted in a guide- Way formed longitudinally in the feeler carrier 11 and at its rear portion a plate 16 is secured to the feeler carrier 11 to insure that the magnetic feeler 15 be retained upon the feeler carrier as it is reciprocated backward and forward. The described means is an eflicient and convenient form of mechanism but obviously the magnetic feeler 15 might be otherwise mounted for sliding Vmovement toward and from the front of the loom on and relative to the feeler carrier 11.

The feeler carrier 11 is slotted at 17 and a spring 18 has one end secured at 19 to the feeler carrier and the other end is secured to the front end portion of the magnetic feeler, the construction being such that the spring 18 normally acts to maintain the magnetic feeler 15 in its normal frontward position relative to the feeler carrier 11. 'A stop shoulder 2O formed on the feeler carrier, is adapted to be engaged by the rear end portion of the magnetic feeler and limit its frontward movement.` Any other form of stop might be employed for this purpose. The rear end surface 21 of the feeler carrier, and the rear end surface 22 of the magnetic feeler, are preferably in the same plane and occupy this position during normal operation of the loom when a working supply of -filling is present in the shuttle.

Rising from the feeler carrier 11 are the brackets 23 in which is mounted the stud 24 carrying the actuator 25. The hub portion 26 of the actuator is mounted on the stud or shaft 24 for rocking movement, and is normally under the action of a spring 27 tending tov turn the actuator in a downward` direction, viewing Fig. 2. The spring 27 may have one end secured to the hub 26 as indicated in Fig. 4 and the other end secured to the brackets or lugs 23, and two of these springs may be used, if desired, as indicated in Fig. 4, the construction being such that the spring or springs normally act upon the actuator' to turn it in a downward direction, viewing Fig. 2. f

Extending downwardlyfrom the hub of the actuator 25, is the toe 28, thelower end portion of which is adapted to rest upon a projection 29 formed on the magnetic feeler, when said feeler is in its frontward or normal position relative to the feeler carrier, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The actuator 25 is preferably formed with the slot 30 which, when the actuator is in its normal inoperative position, extends substantially in a horizontal direction, and into the slot 30 of the actuator v25 extends the e'nCl 9 of the transmitter. Y

The lay31 is or may be of theusual construction and be provided with the shuttleV box 32 into which the shuttle 33 is picked. T he shuttle 33 has the usual bobbin holding jaws 34 for holding` a bobbin or filling carrier 35 which may be of the usual construction, except as will presently appear.

The front wall of the shuttle box` is provided with an opening 36 and an adjacent wall of the shuttle is provided with an opening 37 which substantially registers with the opening 36 in the shuttle box when the shuttle 33 is properly positioned in the detecting box, the construction being such that the feeler may extend through the wall of the shuttle box and shuttle and feel for the filling on a detecting beat.

The filling carrier or bobbin 35 has mount-v ed thereon a metal member for coperating with the magnetic feeler when the filling in the shuttle has been substantially exhausted and to cause rearward movement of the magnetic feeler as the lay moves back on a detecting beat.

In the present instance of the invention the metal for cooperating with the magnetic feeler member, consists of a plurality of rings or spirals 38 and, in case the series or plurality of rings or spirals are formed in one piece, as is a convenient construction, the

ends of the piece may be properly secured to the filling carrier, as at 39 and 40; By havinO` the spirals or rings 38 extend in a series or in plural number longitudinally of the filling carrier, one or more of the rings or spirals will be presented to the end 22 of the magnetic feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted, even though the shuttle may not have been properly positioned in the box. It will be obvious, of course, that the rings or spirals 38 may be variously-formed, the purpose of these parts being lto provide a metal contact for the end of the permanent magnet 15 which constitutes the feeler.

During the operation of the loom when a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, the feeler carrier and magnetic feeler will be moved frontwardly in unison by the mass of fillingon the carrier, and as the lay goes back the normal position of the feeler carrier and magnetic feeler will remain undisturbed. Since the actuator 25 1s carried by the feeler carrier, the end of the toe 28 will continue to Y travel backwardly with the -lay even after the feeler carrier 1l has reached the limit of its rearward movement. The relative movement of the magnetic feeler and feeler carv rier thus induced causes the projection 29 to be moved from its dotted to its full line position, Fig. 2, thereby permitting ther actuator 25 to turn from its dotted to its full line position, rock the transmitter 7 and cause the end ofthe latch 4 to be positioned in the path of the operating member 5 to effeet replenishment of filling.

Claims:

l. In a feeler mechanism, the combination of a feeler slide mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a magnetic feeler movably mounted on the slide, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in its frontward position on Vthe slide, an actuator carried by the feeler slide and normally maintained in a predetermined position by the frontward position of the magnetic Jfeeler and permitted to move to an abnormal position when the magnetic feeler is moved rearwardly from its normal position on the slide, and a transmitter operated by the actuator for effecting replenishment of' filling.

2. In a feeler mechanism, the combination ofa feeler stand, a feeler slide mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a magnetic feeler movable with and relative to the slide, yielding means for establishing a normal relation between the feeler slide and feeler, an actuator controlled by the magnetic feeler, a shuttle containing a bobbin having a partto coact with the magnetic feeler, and means for replenishing filling when the magnetic feeler is moved rearwardly relative to the slide as the shuttle goes back on a detecting beat.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler slide mounted for vmovement toward and from the front of the loom, a spring normally acting to hold the slide in rearward position, a magnetic feelerV mounted on the slide for movement rearwardly with and relative thereto, a shuttle having a bobbin provided with a metal part wardly with and relative thereto, a shuttle having a bobbin provided with a metal part to contact with the feeler on a detecting beat when filling is substantially exhausted Vand move the feeler rearwardly relative to the feeler slide as the shuttle goes back on a detecting beat, an actuator, and means controlled by rearward movement of the magnetic feeler relative to the feeler slide for effecting replenishment of filling.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a magnetic feeler, a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, on which the feeler is mounted for movement with and relative to the carrier, an actuator on the feeler carrier which is maintained in normal inoperative position by the magnetic feeler until vthe latter is moved rearwardly relative to the feelerV carrier, and a shuttle having a bobbin provided with a metal piece to effect movement of the magnetic feeler rearwardly relative to the feeler carrier as the shuttle goes back on a detecting beat when the filling is substantially exhausted.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

.combination of a magnetic feeler, a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and on which the magr'ieticl feeler is mounted for movement with and relative to the carrier, an actuator which is maintained in a normal inoperative position on the carrier by the magnetic feeler until the latter is moved rearwardly relative to the feeler carrier, and a shuttle having a bobbin provided with a plurality of metal coils one or more of which may be engaged by the magnetic feeler when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat to eiect rearward movement of the feeler relative to the carrier as the shuttle goes back. f

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a eeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a magnetic feeler mounted onV the feeler carrier for rearward movement relative to the carrier, a spring between the feeler and feeler carrier normally acting to hold the feeler in a normal frontward position on the carrier, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the magnetic feeler is moved rearwardly on the feeler carrier on a detecting beat.

8. In a feelermechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a magnetic feeler mounted on the feeler carrier for rearward movement relative to the carrier, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in a normal frontward position on the carrier, an actuator mounted on the feeler carrier and held in an inoperative position by the magnetic feeler until the feeler is moved rearwardly on the carrier,

tive to the feeler carrier, an actuator held in an inoperative position by the magnetic 'eeler until the feeler is moved rearwardly relative to the carrier, and means controlled i by the actuator for effecting replenishment er ilhng.

l0. ln a Veeler mechanism for looms, the

combi" ation ot' a feeler carrier mounted for movement upon a detecting beat toward the iii-ont oit Jdie loom, a magnetic eeler mounted on the roeier carrier for rearwardmovement relative to the carrier,V a spring normally holding the vteeler in its 'front position relative to the roeier carrier, an actuator having Y a. part whn'h rests upon the fceler when the latter is in its front position on the feeler carrier and is freed to move downward by rearward. movement oit' the feeler, said feeler operable upon movement to its front position to restore the actuator to its raised posi- `tion7 and means controlled by the actuator `for effecting replenishment of filling.

ll. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement upon a detecting beat toward the l'ront of the loom, a magnetic eeler mounted on the tceler carrier for rearward movement relative toV the carrier, a spring normally holdin` the ieeler in its front positionv relative to the teeler carrier, an actuator mounted to be controlled in its position by movement of the eeler toward and from the front of the loom upon its carrier, and means controlled by the actuator for effecting replenishment of filling. K

Vl2.` 'in a Steeler mechanism forlooms, the combination of a feeler carrier which is mounted for movement toward and from the trontof the. loom7 a magnetic feelerwhich is mounted on the feeler carrier, arspring which Vnormally acts to hold the eeler in a frontward position relative 'to the eeler carrier with permissive movementrearwardly relative to the eeler carrier when the lilling is substantially exhausted on a ydetecting beat, an actuator,fand interengaging parts on the eeler and the actuator which permit movement of the actuator intoI a position to eect replenishment of filling only when the feeleris moved rearwardly relative to the yfeeler carrier on a detecting beat.

'MELv'IN L. sToNE. 

